In class this morning, we had a conversation about the Internet and web-based communities, and the difference between the web and real life was a huge topic of conversation. I, of course, immediately started thinking about it in terms of sewing: sewing blogs, the online sewing community, etc.
Online, there is this wonderful, thriving, growing community of sewists. We share our completed projects, works in progress, thoughts about sewing productivity (or lack thereof), wardrobe building, garment planning, exciting pattern and fabric finds, and sometimes parts of our personal lives. The more experienced among us generously write tutorials (for which the rest of us are so, so grateful!), which adds an element of learning and reference to the online sewing community. Sewing has become an underground movement, and the Internet has enabled it.
At the same time, a lot of us talk about time wasted browsing the web, reading blogs, posting on our own blogs, etc. So much time is spent in front of the computer screen instead of the sewing table, and I definitely have a love/hate relationship with the Internet. Love the information and the connection to other sewists, hate the way I lose time online.
The thing is, I don't know the first thing about finding the same kind of community in real life. How do you find other women (or men) who sew in your area and want to share their experiences with you (especially if you live in a small town)? How do you find someone to help you pin on your muslin to check for fit? Or someone to go fabric shopping with?
I'm totally jealous of all of you who have had the opportunity to meet up in person. I would love to do that, and am totally there next time there's one in Chicago.
Do any of you have sewing friends in real life? Do any of you live in Champaign-Urbana and wish you had someone to help you with fitting or go to our one little fabric store with? :)
I met a few people who sew through the sewing classes offered by our local fabric shop and i also joined a local meet-up group for women who like to do crafty DIY projects and some of the members sew (although i think they sew mostly home dec and baby stuff). we haven't gone fabric shopping together, but i'd love to. It might be worth checking to see if there is a meet-up group near you. meetup.com But really most of my friends are like: "you sew? -can you fix this button on my shirt?" he he he
ReplyDeleteI'm in Melbourne Australia, and I know of some bloggers that have started a sewing meet up once a month. They arranged it all via blogs and word of mouth.
ReplyDeleteI take a sewing class once a week so that's where I go to for my fabric and sewing goss :)
I'm so jealous of both of your local sewing classes! The only thing in my town in JoAnn, and they have classes on things like bags, quilt blocks, and pillows, things I'm either not interested in or already know how to do. A sewing class or meet-up group would be so much fun. I think that after my next move (I'll be moving again at the end of the summer), I'll try to start up a group if there isn't one in my future town.
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